Friday, January 14, 2011

I wanted to share this post with you on Wednesday but I did not find time to write it.It is about an awesome author and a package he sent me. After several weeks (remember weather conditions in December 2010) German Post delivered a package from US. It was the surprise package which author Stephen Zimmer promised to send me. The content has been a secret until I opened the package. I enjoyed this moment after a long and exhausting working day.

This post is nothing more and nothing less about the content of the package and the generosity of the sender. Be sure I sent an adequate mail to Stephen.However I want to use this opportunity to say again thank you Stephen Zimmer and thank you Seventh Star Press.

I found it impressive and you will agree after I showed you the pics I took.

Let's start with the books - three books, A first book in a series, a second book in a series and an anthology. All three books are related to two authors: Stephen Zimmer and Steven L. Shrewsbury.

Until I opened the package I didn't know that Stephen Zimmer is the author of a steampunk short story!Dreams of Steam (2010) [ISBN-13: 978-0982374559], anthology engineered by Kimberly Richardson

"Travel back to a time when steam powered inventions ruled the land, water, and sky. It's a time of extraordinary contraptions and innovative ideas created by men and women who dared to ask the question, “What if?” Peer through the glazed window into a world long gone, but not forgotten. Make a cup of tea, find a comfortable chair, strap on your goggles, and be amazed at the power of steam!

The Tales:Flight of the Dragon - Rachel Pixie - Fantasy goes Steampunk.Dead Man's Hand - Jared Millet - Things that go bump in the night are not what they seem.The Bunker - Stephanie Osborn - The tale of an unlikely hero and his invention.Black Rhino - M. Keaton - The jungles of Africa hold deep and dangerous mysteries.The Ballad of Angelina Calamity - Angelia Sparrow - A tale of a legendary and fearless woman.Endeavour of the Rose: A Chronicle of Atlantis - Sidney M. Reese - Books, nergils, and airships, oh my!Blood and Brass: The Poem of Sylvia Weathersby - Kimberly Richardson - One woman and her role in a deadly war.Five Copper Bowls - Dale Carothers - A most unique nod to mad scientists and their monsters.For the Love of Steam - Missa Dixon - A story of romance told from a most unlikely narrator.In the Mountain Skies - Stephen Zimmer - The battle of good vs. evil in the American West.Harry Was One of Us - Sara M. Harvey - A most daring rescue of a man who is already dead.Engine 316 - Nick Valentino - Sometimes, it is better to just walk away.An Odd Demise - Allan Gilbreath - A Dickens of a murder mystery!Artificial Love - Dwayne DeBardelaben - Love can come from the most unusual places.Phoenix - H. David Blalock - Dreams are meant to come true.Ultimate Weapon - Jeff Harris - Pirates, bombs, and Brittany Spears: any questions?Long Shots - Kirk Hardesty - David vs. Goliath, Steampunk style." [Source]

That will be an interesting read because on the one hand I love to read steampunk but on the other hand I'm not a big fan of short stories as I found out in 2010.

As you may know Stephen Zimmer is the author of two series: Fires in Eden and The Rising Dawn. All art cover and illustrations for both series is done by artist Matthew Perry.

Dream of Legends (2010) [ISBN-13: 978-0983108627] by Stephen Zimmer is the second book in the Fires in Eden series. I read, liked and reviewed Crown of Vengeance (2009) [ISBN-13: 978-0983108627] which is book one in the series.Now enjoy the artwork

"Dream of legends, and soar across the world of Ave…For Janus and the other exiles from a modern world, finding themselves in the fantastical lands of Ave was just the beginning. The assault upon the Kingdom of Saxany and the tribes of the Five Realms ignites, as the eyes of The Unifier turn southward, across the seas towards faraway Midragard. A desperate, dangerous time looms, when all will be swept up in the tides of war rippling out from Avanor.Yet in the heart of the maelstrom, several lights begin to shine through the darkness. Some are on a path of discovery, to uncover the power that lies within, while others will brave perilous journeys, to seek out the things said to exist only in the faded mists of myth and legend. In the face of monstrous adversaries, massive armies, and even horrific entities summoned from infernal depths, courage and honor become the sword and shield in the hands of those who choose to resist.Book Two of the Fires in Eden Series, Dream of Legends is immersive, epic fantasy, for those who love to explore richly developed fantasy worlds alongside an ensemble of intriguing, diverse characters. Readers of the great epic fantasy authors such as Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, and J.R.R. Tolkien will find a wondrous trove of adventure, characters, and depth in this next step of the Fires in Eden series." [Source]

Dream of Legends stands for 723 pages and is a real "door stopper". I can't wait to read it. It will be a bit dangerous to read it in bed. I don't want to imagine how the book hits my nose when I fall asleep ....

Do you like heroic fantasy? Then you should have a look at the third book from the package: Thrall (2010) [ISBN-13: 978-0983108634] by Steven L. Shrewsbury. And again Matthew Perry is the artist of cover and illustrations.

This is Gorias La Gaul

He is the main character of Thrall. Due to the blurb he is an aging warrior and I think Matthew Perry did a great job with the picture of him.

"For Gorias La Gaul, Deliverance Will Come…

Set in the mists of ancient times, Thrall tells the story of Gorias La Gaul, an aging warrior who has lived for centuries battling the monstrosities of legend and lore. It is an age when the Nephilum walk the earth, demonic forces hunger to be unleashed, and dragons still soar through the skies … living and undead. On a journey to find one of his own blood, a young man who is caught in the shadow of necromancy, Gorias’ path crosses with familiar enemies, some of whom not even death can hold bound.

Thrall is gritty, dark-edged heroic fantasy in the vein of Robert E. Howard and David Gemmell. It is a maelstrom of hard-hitting action and unpredictable imagery, taking place within an incredible antediluvian world. In Gorias La Gaul, Thrall introduces an iconic new character to the realms of fantasy literature. Thrall invites the reader to go on a perilous journey where it is not a matter of whether one has the courage to die, but whether one has the courage to live." [Source]

For me it sounds promising. I will tell you more in my review. I think I will read Thrall before I dive into the Dream of Legends.

You will recognize that I did not show you all the things I got. The bookmarks show smaller pics of the art and the poster lager pics of the art I presented you within this post.

Thanks for sharing news of Stephen's antediluvian novel. It was of special interest having recently published a 2nd edition of The Ninth Generation: Surviving the giants of the pre-flood earth / ISBN 9781456471309. See www.TheNinthGeneration.com.

I think you mixed something up. Dream of Legends is the second book in the Fires in Eden series. This series is far beyond to be an antideluvian series which you easily can find out when you visit the Seventh Star Press